Archive for the 'European Union' Category

[[SUMMARY / COMMENT: a preliminary report into a Scottish police pilot using tasers warns their use by non-firearms officers may be in breach of article two of the European Convention on Human Rights – the right to life. Christopher Mason, of the Strathclyde Police Authority, said “It’s for the government to decide what weapons should […]

[[SUMMARY / COMMENTS. Guernsey (and Jersey) have a special status (primarily as tax-havens) and are not members of the European Union, so the EU-wide ban on exporting “torture weapons” to countries outside the EU applied. Note, the taser is in this class of weapons. The UK government is passing new legislation to get around the […]

[[SUMMARY / COMMENTS: Guernsey “Crown Depdendency” status (that allows its off-shore tax haven status) means taser ammunition can only be exported from the UK with permission from Brussels, which is not approving this easily : Guernsey police authorities are attempting to overcome this ban … ]] The Guernsey Press, By Alexa Rowe THE UK minister […]

French Taser representative admits selling tasers to Senegal, claiming being used in UN peacekeeping in Darfur. Three Senegalese journalists report they have been tasered.COMMENTS/SUMMARY: French Taser representative admits selling tasers to Senegal, claiming being used in UN peacekeeping in Darfur. Three Senegalese journalists report they have been tasered.

BRUSSELS – A French weapons firm has acknowledged for the first time that it has sold 16 stun-guns to Senegal, where they have been reportedly used against journalists covering football matches and political protests. Antoine Di Zazzo, chief executive of Taser France said that the weapons were destined for Senegalese troops taking part in peacekeeping operations in Darfur, Sudan.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 28 Jul 1997 (pt 18): 28 Jul 1997 : Column: 66 [[SUMMARY / COMMENTS : UK foreign-minister Robin Cook – the only member of New Labour cabinet to oppose Tony Blair’s invasion of Iraq – tells parliament that any equipment that can be used for torture will be […]